18.9.2014

The Goal Zero Portable Torch 250 (total lumens from floodlight and spotlight) is a very good emergency light with a number of charging options. It is built well, with a rubbery, grippy surface and feels solid though not rugged. I wouldn't want to drop it on the floor. And it is definitely not water resistant - the USB port is completely exposed.The spotlight, floodlight, and red light can be turned on in any combination, including all lights on at the same time. Note that having the red light and the spotlight on at the same time is rather pointless, since spotlight completely drowns out the red light.Running time according to the documentation : Spotlight low for 15 hours, high for 7 hours.Flood light low for 48 hours, high for 22 hours. It probably can run for days on the red light, as it is very dim. The red light is useful in situations where you need to preserve your night vision - like when you're out star gazing, for example.It's main claim to fame is that it can be recharged by USB, hand crank, or solar. Cranking for 1 minute at 120 rpm will provide 10 minutes of light according to the documentation. They did not mention what light, so I'm assuming flood light at low. Hand crank is held in place out of the way when not in use by a magnet.Don't get too excited about the possibilities, however. According to the documentation, the hand crank generates 2.2W when turned at 120 rpm. That's 2 revolutions per second, on a short (6 inch) handle. It's not hard work, but because of the small radius and rapid RPM, your arms will probably tire very soon. Assuming 100% efficiency (which never happens), it takes 7 1/2 hours of cranking at this speed to fully recharge the light. Charging a medium end cell phone from empty to full takes about half of the light's 4400 mAh capacity, or about 4 solid hours of cranking. Not going to happen. Count on the hand crank as a tool of last resort - your battery is completely depleted, it's late at night, you absolutely must have some light. Crank it.Edit : according to Joshua in the comments below, cranking this for hours will NOT recharge the battery fully. He (with the help of friends) was not able to get the battery indicator beyond the first indicator, and only gives about 10 minutes of light after A LOT of cranking. So don't waste your time cranking - just crank it for a few minutes for a minute or two of light,The solar panel can recharge the light fully in 24 hours. That's 24 hours of bright sunlight. If the day is sunny, you may get 6 hours of bright sunlight, and a few more hours of less direct light. It will take 3 to 4 days to fully charge the light by its built in solar panel. Documentation says "add additional panels for faster charging time". I believe they're referring to using other Goal Zero panels with USB output.Charging from USB takes up to 7 hours. The USB charging cable is built in - a nice touch. It can draw up to 1A. I measured it drawing 0.9A from my 2.1A charger when the battery is approximately 75% full.For emergency use, charge this by USB, and recharge it once every 3 months (it says that right on the light itself). That way, in an emergency, you'll have an almost fully recharged light to use, that you can top up using solar during the day, and with a hand crank at night.It has an interesting integrated hanger that allows you hang the light on a cord or thin (~1/2" diameter) rod / branch. I think the hanger mechanism is designed such that the light will not easily fall off - there is one hook facing left, another facing right, and when both are together, they form a ring.There are 4 blue LEDs where the switches are indicating the charge level of the internal battery. They are rather bright, and remain on whenever the device is in use (or is being recharged). This can be irritating when using the red light - a small piece of electrical tape to cover those lights will be extremely helpful in those situations.The light is not exactly comfortable to carry around in the hand, even if you have fairly large hands. It can be made to stand on the end where the switches are located, but not the end where the spotlight (and red light) is.The USB port can be used to recharge or power any USB devices. It can supply up to 1.5A. I thought it was amusing that the built in cable is deliberately short enough that it cannot be plugged into that USB port. There is no integrated micro USB or Lightning cable, so make sure you have a set attached to the light if you intend to use it to recharge your devices in an emergency.The case is held together with 8 screws. Four of them require an Allen key (5/64") and the other 4 are Philips (#00). It's fairly easy to open - undo the 8 screws, slide the top cover out under the lip of the spotlight.Inside, things look neat and clean. Parts are held in place with screws and not just glued in place, meaning they are much more repairable. The only bad news - the gears of the hand crank is plastic. However, considering how tiring it is to charge this by cranking, it is fairly unlikely that you would wear this out. But something to keep in mind - be gentle when cranking.The battery pack is connected to the circuit board by a removable connector. Removing the battery pack requires unscrewing some other components - mainly the light panels for the flood light - to get to it. It looks like it could be user replaceable - if you can find the correct battery pack. Guessing here : it looks like two balanced 18650 Lithium Ion batteries in parallel, in a package end to end, with a 2 pin JST connector. To be sure I'd have to cut open the pack and I'm not prepared to sacrifice the light in the name of Amazon :) I did a quick search online and did not see anything similar.In summary, it's pricey, the battery capacity is not large, but it is well built and handy to have around in case of an emergency, or for when you go camping. It has some minor flaws but none of them serious. It would be nice if it were waterproof, or if a micro USB cable is integrated into the unit in addition to the USB port. If price is not taken into consideration, or if the minor flaws were addressed, I'd rate this 5 stars. In its current state, I'd rate it between 4 and 5 stars and think it is a great addition to an emergency bag.

24.9.2014

The Goal Zero Portable Torch 250 is one versatile piece of equipment that you will quickly come to appreciate once you've examined and used it. The flashlight and floodlight are both impressively bright and have two levels to fit the need you have at the time.There is a recessed pair of hangers in the button end of this light that give you some positioning options for your needs. The lime green selection buttons are easy to see in dim light. The first press turns on the selected light to bright and an additional push changes it to lower power. The red lights come on steady at first and the second push changes them to flashing. The 1.5 A.USB port for charging your phone or other compatible device is found below the buttons.On one side of the light is a USB charging cable and the other side holds a fold out hand crank, both held in with magnets for extra security. You may never need either of these, however, as the large, flat side holds solar panels that will keep your light powered up almost effortlessly with the help of the full sun. As the solar panels work, there are 4 tiny blue lights under the control buttons that are illuminated to let you know it's charging.This light is ruggedly made and water resistant. The warranty, from their website, is 180 days on the battery and 1 year on other components.So far, I've not had a situation to really take advantage of all the features of this light. Soon though, we will be out harvesting our crops and I look forward to having this light close at hand. We often work into the night and really need a good, portable light in various situations. Having this awesome light in a window, recharging during the day and ready whenever we need it, gives me a lot of comfort and confidence that we'll be prepared for almost any situation. When we're finished with the harvest, this light will come back home with me in case of other power outages or emergencies.I think this light would be a great gift idea for college-age kids or anyone you care about and want to keep safe. It's perfect for camping and fun "off-the-grid" activities as well as weather and travel emergencies.I will update this review as time passes about longevity and any other pertinent information.edit: Ok, I've been using this another month now and really, really like it! It's come in handy many times when we've been out in "the boonies", harvesting our crops at night. I appreciate the ability to use it as a flood light or flash light, or both, it's brightness, and that it recharges with the sun. Being a woman, I have found it a little bulky to hold, but not terribly uncomfortable, and it's positive features outweigh this small inconvenience. One other thing I've noticed is that it does need full sun to charge. Any cloud passing over or not having it positioned in direct sunlight ceases the charge. Other than that, I believe most anyone that spends time outdoors, working or playing, would love to have this light, as well as just having it on hand for emergencies.I've not used the other options yet but will update if I do.

12.9.2014

This thing is amazing. From packaging to product, it really is impressive. We live in an area where power outages are common, and nothing peeves me more than needing a light and finding that it is either dead or underpowered. Almost as annoying is having to resort to an "emergency flashlight" and finding it is not bright enough to do the job required. With this Goal Zero Torch 250 with Power Hub, I feel like those are no longer an issue. I also do not have to worry about my phone being dead, or the e-device I am using to read while the lights are out going off.First, there is charging, with some easy ways to accomplish it. You have the USB cord located on the side, the solar panel on the top,and the the crank on the side. I was curious and tried out the crank and the solar panel - the light worked really quickly, taking only a few cranks to get power, and the panel worked in less than an hour's drive. I could really see using the solar panel while driving to keep it going for emergencies. The bottom USB port lights up to tell you it is receiving a charge, too, which is very handy. The light says it needs to be charged every three months, and with that variety of options I do not see it being an issue.Second, there are the settings. There are three buttons and they are EASY to find, making use at night a breeze. You could also find the crank in the dark and pull it out as well, making this very usable. Each button has two settings that are accessed by pushing the button again, and they can be used in conjunction with the other. So, for example, the red flasher can be used with a flashlight or the floodlight and the flashlight could be used together. I could see this being very useful on the road or while trying to find my way out of a survival nightmare gone wrong.The red light has two small lights that either maintain solid beams or flash. They are easy to see, a lot more than I thought they would be really, as noted when we tested it out at night. The flashlight itself has a high beam and a lower beam, and it really projects light. The floodlight lights up a sizable room and really made it easy to find my way around, and it has a high and a low setting. I was using the floodlight and flashlight at night to goof off, and it was nice to see where I was walking and what is ahead. I could see that being really useful.This item is easy to handle, too, with a body designed for easy grip and two metal pieces at the bottom as well. And did I mention it charges devices such as Ipods, phones, tablets, and so on? Yes, it is a flashlight that can really handle an emergency and it can be cranked to allow you to continually keep devices running, keeping safety in mind and boredom at bay.I love this product. Cannot say enough good things about it.

6.10.2014

The Goal Zero Portable Torch 250 functions well as a device to light your way through a forest or outback trail at night and charge up your cell or other device simultaneous! Using the standardized USB charging port, you charge it with any phone charger or laptop device that has USB ports. After several uses, the onboard Lithium battery charges rapidly and can sustain, say my Apple iPhone 5, for most of the day. The problem is that so can my Anker external battery, which I compared it to.The name probably comes from the useful lights, all LEDs, one white one on the end, the red light, which can be made to blink, as well as the several on the side which can light up a small area.

16.10.2014

For the longest time, I felt a flashlight was a flashlight. Honestly, whenever I needed one, I would just buy the cheapest one available. The only exception to this was a 3 D cell Maglight I used to carry with me when I worked overseas and that had more to do with being able to use the flashlight as a weapon in a bind more than the light quality. I have to say I was curious what might make the Goal Zero 250 worth the current asking price of $80.The Goal Zero Portable Torch 250 weighs in at 15 ounces and measures about 10 inches x 3.125 inches x 1.5 inches at the widest points. The cross section of the flashlight is trapezoidal rather than the traditional round shape.The flashlight does not have replaceable batteries like one might expect on a flashlight.

4.10.2014

Like most of goal zero products this torch is expensive for what it is.however what it does it does very well. It is a very nice smart torch with a built in crank handle and a quality solar panel. If you leave it in the morning by the window when you go out to work when you come home it wi be very Nicely charged up and ready to go.The touch is a doddle to use The flashing red warning or strip light easy to set.If you want you can have all the lights on at on at once or low or high setting.Another good feature is it is simple to use and can shine light for a long duration of time, before running out of juice.Once my I phone run out if battery power And you can use the USB port built in cable to charge up a mobile very quickly indeed.To be honest ,

10.9.2014

Some goal zero products are great. Some are over priced or short on features and are clearly just cashing in on the name. This is not one of those products. This product is truly fantastic. The only other thing I could want on it is maybe a lil shortwave radio. But even without that its exceptional.Its got a 4400mAh battery (16tWh) this means depending your device you have at least one charge maybe two. It has three flashlights each with two modes. A high low spot light of sufficient brightness (180 lumens according to the package but sure doesn't have the throw of my Surefires) a flood light with two settings, and dual red lights for not ruining your eye sight that will stay constant or strobe...

16.9.2014

The first thing I noticed about this torch is that it is fairly high quality. It has a nice rubberized finish which is soft to the touch and the crank is decently high quality and so are buttons.It has a nice set of features, including a decently large solar panel, hand crank, bright forward facing flashlight, nice bright wide angle flashlight, and red LEDs that face the same direction as the main flashlight and can be solid or blinking.All the lights can be controlled independently, and simply cycle through modes (so about 3 presses of each button to go through all modes, the two lights have bright, dim, and off, and the red lights are on, blinking or off.What I really like is if you used this for an emergency tire repair,

15.10.2014

I don't understand all these nit picking comments.What do you want?A moon proof gadget??One says,'there are better ones but not solar'.Hello,one doesn't compare pears with apples.One says 'heavy',so..the power potential eguals this out and as the old Maglights you can use it as a defense stick...wait 25 years and you can put the most powerful torch in your nose or a 'shine'chip in your brain (perhaps move the one from the shoulder..lol.) but for now, the Goal Torch 250 it is priceless. Some people are never satisfied.....All in all this is the best item on the world market..and I have a few different solar models,lamps,torches,next best is the WakaWaka Charger.One comment says,'makes no sense

22.9.2014

The Torch 250 Flashlight and USB Power Hub has several different types of lights: a flood light that lasts for forty-eight hours on low and twenty-two hours on high; a spotlight that runs for fifteen hours on low and seven hours on high; and a red light for emergencies that you can set for steady or blinking. You can charge the flashlight on your computer using the built-in charging cable or outside in full sun using the built-in solar panel. The flashlight has a hand crank - a one minute crank equals ten minutes of light. There is also a built-in hang hanger for easy storage and hanging it in one spot during a power outage.I live in an area that tends to have a lot of power outages so I keep a supply of flashlights on hand.

25.4.2015

I liked the previous version which did not have a USB port to charge USB devices and I like this one even better. It charges via a built-in solar panel, a larger crank handle, or plugging it into a USB power source. GZ did a good job with their improvements but you still can't replace the internal battery (which is true with most of their solar products) so here's another throw-away product when the battery no longer charges (hasn't happened yet with this one but my previous version has) but even when my other version battery died, the hand crank still lights the lights in an emergency as long as I keep cranking.

12.5.2020

Its expensive. That is the bad. It took me awhile before I would commit to buying it. I bought it because it can be charged thru the solar panel, or USB or crank. Now its here after me thinking about it for so long. So, did I make a good choice?Its awkward to carry - maybe it would be better for a bigger handed person. I am a small woman.....its pretty big. It isn't really comfortable to carry. It has no stand of any kind so that detracts a lot of points for me as a single woman farmer. The USB cable doesn't want to lie flat in its little crevice - I am going to have to end up taping it in so that it doesn't come loose and dangle. And to use the top LED lights,

28.11.2015

I purchased the Goal Zero Torch 250 Flashlight on Dec 2014 and have taken it on several camping trips since, including a five day backpacking excursion in Voyageurs National Park, and this flashlight worked very well to bring BRIGHT light on those dark nights. As others have stated, the solar recharging option is not terribly efficient with the built-in solar cells, but that was not a concern as I had the Goal Zero Nomad 7 solar panel to assist with the charging of this device. The Torch 250 is well constructed, with a nice solid feel to the casing which has that non-slip rubber-like material which helps keep this device in your hands during those fast hikes. Overall,

16.9.2014

I'm extremely pleased with this product. I got it thinking I'd use it just for occasional camping trips but after using it a few days it's showing it's versatility.I charged my iphone 5s 50% off a quarter charge of the device. It still had plenty of juice for ambient light and recharged fully the next day by leaving it out in the sun.It is a fairly bright flashlight and assuming you charge it fully once every 3 months as printed on the side of the light you can just have it around the house for power outages.It gives HOURS of light if you want to use it for camping, and will recharge the next day in the sun. Perpetual use that way, beats worrying about batteries.Finally,

10.6.2015

After having a flat tire late one night, I purchased the Goal Zero Portable Torch to keep in my car's glove compartment. It is a great added bonus that it also can be used as a power bank to charge cell phones, tablets and computers. We happen to have a lot of power banks in our house, but to an extent I think one can never have enough, especially when living in an area that frequently has weather-related power outages.A surprise use for us, my husband has hung up the torch and used the floodlight when needing extra light while working in his garage workshop.But mainly we have this for emergencies. Though it does have the solar charging and manual crank charging functions - we have not really had a reason to use those at this point in time.

Goal Zero Torch 250 - Reviews

Info

Analysis